Bab 19: Chapter 19: Justice or Vengeance
A few minutes later, Batman lay on the kitchen table at the back of the café, barely alive.
Kara hid by the door, peeking into the room. Shen You removed his bat helmet, revealing the handsome but battered face of Gotham's son, Bruce Wayne.
"Is he dead?" Kara whispered.
"Not yet, but if we leave him like this, he should be soon."
Shen You took out a first aid kit, removed two bullets from his body, and did some bandaging.
The old wizard came over to take a look. He seemed to have a good first impression of this cross-dressing rich kid and casually cast a healing spell on him.
The old wizard was too exhausted to perform any major spells, but simple healing spells were still easy for him. The spell took effect immediately. Bruce's deathly pale face quickly gained some color, and he woke up after a short while.
The young Batman groggily opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the bright lights and an unfamiliar ceiling.
The second thing he noticed was an old man with a beard and a somewhat handsome Asian man standing nearby, in a "you're awake, the surgery was successful" stance.
He sprang up, almost tearing the freshly bandaged wounds.
"Calm down. We picked you up from a trash bin in the alley. You almost died."
Bruce remained silent, seemingly starting to recall the events of the night. Seeing the bandages on his body and the first aid kit beside him, he quickly realized what had happened.
He snorted, ignored the cries of his injured body, and stubbornly tried to get off the table. But clearly, his body hadn't recovered yet. He wobbled and almost fell.
Shen You reached out to support him. "That's not a good idea."
"I don't need help," Bruce said coldly.
Shen You shrugged. "Okay."
Then he let go as Bruce wished.
Thud.
Bruce fell to the ground.
The proud old bat said nothing, struggling to get up by holding onto the table. Shen You pointed to the TV that was on. "Unpleasant date with the GCPD tonight?"
Bruce turned to look. The TV news was broadcasting the GCPD's operation against Batman tonight. A fat police officer said to the camera that they believed Batman was injured and hoped that any citizen who knew his whereabouts would report it to the police.
Bruce frowned, feeling some dissatisfaction with the officer's bragging. "They couldn't hurt me on their own. Someone leaked my location, predicted my actions, and planted a bomb in the Batmobile. A new face, calling himself the 'Riddler.'"
Shen You understood. The Riddler had borrowed the GCPD to try and eliminate Batman.
This was probably Bruce's first encounter with a future member of his Arkham fan club. He didn't yet have the rich experience of dealing with lunatics as he would in the future. It was inevitable to stumble a bit the first time.
But his stubborn pride hadn't changed. Watching the chubby police officer on TV bragging about how they had beaten Batman, Bruce snorted softly.
"It was my carelessness, but it won't happen again."
"What are you planning next? Build a suit with ten thousand tons of power and add a faster-than-light propulsion system?" Shen You said. "Of course, you can do it. It's just a matter of time. But do you think that's what you want? Is that the ideal Batman you want to create?"
Bruce fell silent.
For the first time, he began to look at Shen You seriously, meeting his gaze as if trying to use the world's greatest detective's sharp eyes to see through him.
"What are you trying to say?" Bruce said stiffly.
"Nothing much. I haven't been in this city for long, but I've seen the place and the people here. I see them struggling for their lives, striving for hope in the darkness.
Your appearance has indeed brought some change. Rumors are spreading, and people are starting to talk about Batman, starting to believe that even in a place like Gotham, they can hold a glimmer of hope for light.
But is that what you want?
Or more precisely, what does Batman mean to you? Is he your pursuit of justice? Or a tool for revenge?"
Bruce stared at him expressionlessly for a moment.
Then he got up, having recovered some strength, and picked up his helmet and cape.
"That's none of your business."
The re-armored Batman staggered away.
He was troubled. Not just because of Batman's failure tonight, but also because of Shen You's words—if it were anyone else saying this, he probably wouldn't have listened.
By coincidence, earlier today, before he left the Batcave, he had a similar argument with his butler, Alfred.
"You can't go on like this," Alfred urged sternly. "You're trying to bear a responsibility that no flesh and blood can bear. Anyone would be crushed, it's just a matter of time. At the very least, you can't do this alone, without any help."
"I have your help, Alfred."
Bruce said this while fastening his multi-functional belt, newly updated by the tech department this week.
"And I only need your advice."
"That's the problem, young master. You don't trust anyone, and I think that includes me," Alfred said calmly.
"I let you know what I'm doing and let you sit in this damn Batcave," Bruce said coldly, donning his cape. "You still think I don't trust you enough?"
Alfred shook his head.
"No, this isn't trust, but punishment or at least your way of showing anger. I watched you grow up; I can always guess your thoughts.
Just like you know not everyone in the GCPD is corrupt to the core. At least you know Gordon is an upright man.
But even so, you've never thought about seeking his help."
Bruce stopped what he was doing, staring at him blankly.
Alfred continued, "When you were a little boy, alone in that alley, watching their bodies grow cold, no one came. No one helped. Not me, not Gordon, not any Gotham citizen. Not even Batman.
So, you're punishing us, making us stand by.
Why am I in the Batcave? Because you want me to stay here and watch you do what I, Gordon, and others can't. You exclude us, making us watch you do what we can't, seeking revenge on those who hurt you as punishment.
But if you keep doing this, young master, Batman will only become a shadow of your past, an endless expansion of the shadow in your heart. Sooner or later, he will become a demon, not a creation of justice or hope.
Soon he will fall, and so will you."
Bruce stared at him for a long time, saying nothing.
Then he silently put on his helmet and activated the Batmobile.
"I have to go, Alfred," he said coldly through the voice modulator. "Don't wait up."
Alfred's words still echoed in his ears.
What is Batman?
He slipped into a deserted alley, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath. He took out the grapple and rope from his belt, preparing to throw the grapple onto the roof.
At the same time, he decided to go to the company's tech department and design new equipment to replace the grapple and rope.
He leaned against the wall for a few seconds, then was drawn by the noise from the opposite block.
Two big kids were pressing a boy against the corner, forcing him to hand over the pocket money in his backpack.
Batman's first reaction was to intervene.
But a few seconds later, he realized there was no need.
The boy suddenly ducked and swept the legs of one of them. Then, a beautiful right hook knocked the second big kid to the ground.
The two young robbers ran away, rolling and crawling. The boy raised his middle finger at them.
"Boss Shen taught me, you idiots," he said triumphantly.
Batman said nothing and retreated into the darkness.
The young man's question echoed in his mind again.
Justice, or vengeance?
Or rather, what kind of Batman does this city need?
He threw the grapple, climbed to the roof.
And disappeared into the vast night of Gotham.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Cham_Zin
Cham_Zin Your gift is my motivation. So Give me more motivation(Power Stone)!
The more you comment the more chapter I will release?!?!!?
for every 100 Power Stone I will release one chapter early.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone